IRELAND HAVE MOVED up to sixth in the IRB’s official world rankings after the 40-9 victory over Samoa on Saturday evening in Dublin.
That means we are the biggest risers in the top 20 of the list, having jumped two places from eighth. Joe Schmidt’s men move above Samoa and Wales, who lost 24-15 to South Africa in Cardiff on Saturday.
Ireland’s lowest ever positioning within the rankings came as recently as March of this year, when the Six Nations defeat to Italy saw us drop to ninth. Ireland’s highest-ever ranking was third in 2003 (the year the IRB’s list was first launched) and 2006.
New Zealand remain top of the pile following their win over France, although second-placed South Africa have slightly narrowed the gap after beating Wales. Italy, Fiji and Japan have all moved up the pecking order inside the top 20, with Tonga and Canada dropping down to accommodate them.
Realistically these IRB rankings mean little, especially as the pool draw for the 2015 Rugby World Cup has already been made. Still, it is satisfying for Ireland to have shifted up the table and the hope is that there is plenty more to come in this regard. Fourth-placed Australia are next up for Schmidt’s men and he will be eyeing another rise up the leader board at the earliest stage possible.
The latest top 20 list. Via: http://www.irb.com.
Thats a Shocking poor Crowd for a Munster Senior Final. Involving 2 Teams with Massive Populations
@Buff Egan: Ridiculous choice of venue too. Whats the point in spending 80 million on Pairc Ui Caoimhe if you’re only going to play a handful of games there. Having the game in Pairc Ui Caoimhe surely would have at least doubled that crowd.
@Buff Egan: its not like the whole of Killarney and Cork city are going to support them
Kanturk are the Crowd from Cork that Bring The Crowds
@Buff Egan: massive I’d say
@Buff Egan: where is “kanturk”
Once known as Constantinople, formerly the political and administrative capital of the Ottoman Empire. Now home to North Cork creamery and other Kanturkish delights.
Nemo Rangers and Dr Crokes have small support base.
Austin Stacks bring the crowd to a game did anyone witness the marches in 2014.
@lorrainehealy: tacky caper by the Rockies. Not to be seen in a County League game them when really needed. Like the super blue super fans up east
Crokes are a good team for the pullin and Dragon. Well done to Nemo. Connolly had some game !
dragin (phone is too smart !
@j Heffernan: dragin is still not how you spell it
@Eamonn coughlan: ok so I need to add 2gs to make it correct, but I think it looks better the way it is……..?
Fab, corcaigh abu, well done nemo crokes were
@billy Dorney: dead right Billy. Nemo Crokes indeed were.
Ha ha well done Nemo excellent display.good medicine for k o Leary especially. after his sneaky kick on player went unpunished in club final last march.
2,851…. Are you serious or are the County Board taking the p**s..? There was closer to 4,500 there today so either they’re not counting kids who were free or there was 2,000 comps given out !!!
Know Martin son playing for memo but why he take limelight pure politics hopefully FF will get rid of him new politics my arse disgusting what’s going on at the moment with FG and Francis fitzgerald so many people homeless and on hospital beds etc !
A great day for Cork football and hopefully Knocknagree can repeat the dose against the Kerry champions on Sunday next in Mallow.
@denis o mahony: very good chance they will. Dromid not firing like they did a few years ago at all